Not too early to start identifying rebound candidates for Draft Day 2013. Our Jamey Eisenberg shares 25 names he's expecting more from this upcoming season.

We're always looking for value on Draft Day. A sleeper you target with a
late-round pick. A rookie who could breakout that no one expects.

What about a veteran on the comeback trail?

That's what we're here to look at with some bounce-back candidates for
2013. We'll highlight 25 players poised to play better this year than
they did in 2012. Some players are coming back from injury, some from
just poor play.

Last year, we saw
Peyton Manning
,
Jamaal Charles
and
Andre Johnson
come
back from serious injury in 2011 and return as elite Fantasy options.
The same goes for
Reggie Wayne
rebounding from a miserable season thanks to the addition of
Andrew Luck
.

You may be down on some of these guys listed here after they burned you
last season. But don't be upset when you pass on them on Draft Day and
they return to a high level this year.

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford
, Lions

Stafford has Top 5 potential, and he definitely should return this season
as a Top 10 Fantasy quarterback. If healthy, there's no way he'll be held
to just 20 passing touchdowns like he was in 2012. He has the best
receiver in the NFL with
Calvin Johnson
,
who was stopped on the 1-yard line six times last season. Give
Stafford those six touchdowns (36 Fantasy points) and he goes from the No.
11 quarterback to No. 8, which is a better assessment of his talent. He
should also thrive with the addition of running back
Reggie Bush
, and the Lions should still rank near the top of passing
attempts this season, which helps Stafford accumulate production based on
sheer volume alone.Position rank in 2012: No. 11 quarterbackExpected
ADP for this season: 44-54 overall

Eli Manning
, Giants

Manning has the chance for a rebound season based on last year being a
surprise that he struggled and getting a healthy
Hakeem Nicks
back. To put in perspective how bad Manning was in 2012 he
needed 38 Fantasy points in a meaningless Week 17 game against the Eagles
to save his production. Without that game, Manning would have been the No.
22 Fantasy quarterback. He was brutal for most of the year (he had four
games with five Fantasy points or less), but we expect him to perform at a
higher level. Prior to last year, Manning had consecutive seasons of at
least 4,000 passing yards and 30 total touchdowns. It won't take him much
to get back to that type of production, and he actually presents great
value on Draft Day.Position rank in 2012: No. 14 quarterbackExpected
ADP for this season: 100-108

Ben Roethlisberger
, Steelers

It might seem difficult to trust Roethlisberger this season. He lost
Mike Wallace
as a free agent to the Dolphins and could be without
Heath Miller
(knee) in the early part of the year. Roethlisberger also
has played just one full season in his nine-year career. But
Roethlisberger still managed eight games in 13 outings last season with at
least 19 Fantasy points, and we're excited for his receiving corps even
without Wallace because of the upside for
Antonio Brown
,
Emmanuel Sanders
and
rookie
Markus Wheaton
. The Steelers also
have to prove they can run the ball with rookie
Le'Veon Bell
, and Roethlisberger will still be called upon to make plays.
He's a high-end backup to target in all leagues.Position rank in
2012: No. 16 quarterbackExpected ADP for this season:
109-115 overall

Jay Cutler
, Bears

This could be the best year of Cutler's career. He has an offensive-minded
coach dedicated to the passing game in Marc Trestman, he has an upgraded
offensive line and he's surrounded by talent with
Brandon Marshall
,
Alshon Jeffery
,
Martellus Bennett
and
Matt Forte
. We know
Cutler is going to struggle with turnovers and inconsistent play, but the
stage is set for a big season based on what the Bears did this offseason
to improve his supporting cast. You're not going to draft Cutler as a
starting quarterback in any standard leagues, but he should be considered
a high-end backup option worth a late-round pick in all formats.Position
rank in 2012: No. 23 quarterbackExpected ADP for this season:
122-131 overall

Michael Vick
, Eagles

First, Vick has to win the starting job in a battle with
Nick Foles
(and possibly rookie
Matt Barkley
),
but we expect Vick under center for Week 1. He then has to prove that he
can grasp Chip Kelly's offense and stay healthy, the latter of which has
been a huge problem. If he starts 16 games we can still see him posting
quality stats, but that's no guarantee since he hasn't finished a full
season since 2006. Vick still has plenty of talent in what should be an
up-tempo system, and he has quality weapons around him in
Jeremy Maclin
,
DeSean Jackson
and
LeSean McCoy
. Vick is just a No. 2 Fantasy quarterback this year, but
he's someone you can target with a late-round pick.Position rank in
2012: No. 27 quarterbackExpected ADP for this season:
110-117 overall

Running back

LeSean McCoy
, Eagles

We don't know exactly what Kelly's offense is going to look like on the
NFL level, but he is expected to run the ball at a high rate. That should
benefit McCoy, who is coming back from an injury-plagued 2012. Last year,
McCoy missed four games with a concussion and went from 20 total
touchdowns in 2011 to just five. He also failed to reach 1,500 total yards
(he had 1,200) for the first time since 2009. But despite his struggles,
McCoy still had double digits in Fantasy points in 10 of his 12 outings.
There's some concern over
Bryce Brown
taking touches away from McCoy, but don't even think about that on Draft
Day. McCoy should be the featured player in Kelly's offense, and he could
easily rebound as a Top 5 running back in the majority of leagues.Position
rank in 2012: No. 21 running backExpected ADP for this season:
5-11 overall

DeMarco Murray
, Cowboys

Murray is dealing with a hamstring injury this offseason, which isn't
going to put Fantasy owners at ease given his history. He's already missed
nine games through two seasons, and Fantasy owners are frustrated based on
his potential. But the hope is Murray is getting his injury concerns out
of the way now instead of during the regular season. As he showed in 10
games last year he had at least seven Fantasy points in every outing with
double-digit points in five games, so he's capable of being a big point
producer. But he has to stay on the field to live up to the hype. We would
gamble on Murray in the second round of every draft, but he might fall to
Round 3, which should be considered a steal. He just has to stay healthy
for it to all come together.Position rank in 2012: No. 27
running backExpected ADP for this season: 17-25 overall

Darren McFadden
, Raiders

The record is broken with McFadden, but for once we hope he starts
breaking records. What that means is it's time for him to stay healthy so
we don't have to keep talking about his injury woes. You know the story
already. He's never played more than 13 games in a season, and last year
he missed four games with an ankle injury. He also struggled with
Oakland's zone-blocking scheme. He had a career-low 3.3 yards per carry
and finished with 707 rushing yards and two touchdowns and 42 catches for
258 yards and one touchdown. It was a miserable year, but the Raiders
remain committed to McFadden. The zone-blocking system is gone with Greg
Olson replacing Greg Knapp as the offensive coordinator, and McFadden will
now try to play at a high level. We still have optimism for McFadden, but
there are obvious red flags. Because of that he should only be drafted
with a third-round pick at the earliest.Position rank in 2012:
No. 28 running backExpected ADP for this season: 26-32 overall

Ryan Mathews
, Chargers

Does Mathews have what it takes to be an elite Fantasy option? That's what
Fantasy owners are asking themselves after one good year in 2011 but a
tremendously disappointing performance in 2012. A broken clavicle in
training camp derailed the start of his season last year, and he never
recovered before suffering a second broken clavicle in Week 15. He now has
to prove he can stay healthy, and he also has competition for touches with
Danny Woodhead
and
Ronnie Brown
,
meaning Mathews will likely come off the field on passing downs. We still
have faith in Mathews based on his talent, and he now presents great value
with a pick in Round 5 in all leagues. For a starting running back with
his upside he's worth the risk in that spot.Position rank in 2012:
No. 30 running backExpected ADP for this season: 59-64 overall

Maurice Jones-Drew
, Jaguars

The good news for Jones-Drew is the Jaguars did little to upgrade their
running back depth this offseason. All they did was sign
Justin Forsett
and draft former quarterback
Denard Robinson
, meaning the team believes Jones-Drew will make a full
recovery from last year's Lisfranc surgery in his left foot. He's expected
to be ready for the start of training camp, and as long as he doesn't
suffer a setback we could see him return as an elite Fantasy option. Since
he's coming off a serious injury, we'd use caution when drafting
Jones-Drew. He's worth the risk with a pick in the middle of the second
round, but reaching for him anywhere in the Top 15 overall picks would be
a mistake.Position rank in 2012: No. 52 running backExpected
ADP for this season: 18-24 overall

Jonathan Stewart
, Panthers

We had high hopes for Stewart when we thought
DeAngelo Williams
wasn't coming back, but it appears the backfield for the
Panthers will remain intact. Still, Stewart should play better than he did
last year when he missed seven games and had just two outings with double
digits in Fantasy points. Stewart has more upside than Williams, but the
problem is Williams,
Mike Tolbert
and
even
Cam Newton
put a downer on Stewart's
potential. We view Stewart as a key reserve, and if he can play 16 games
he should reward you with quality production. The three times Stewart
played a full year in his career he had at least 900 total yards and
averaged eight touchdowns, so hopefully he can stay healthy.Position
rank in 2012: No. 53 running backExpected ADP for this season:
74-80 overall

Rashard Mendenhall
, Cardinals

Prior to the NFL Draft, Mendenhall looked like the potential starter for
the Cardinals. Coach Bruce Arians even told me at the NFL owners meeting
in Phoenix that he was glad to be reunited with Mendenhall from their days
in Pittsburgh. "Obviously we have a good history together," Arians said.
"I know how to use him. He's a heck of a player in all phases. He never
has to come out of the game." But after the draft, Mendenhall not only has
to battle
Ryan Williams
for playing time,
but the Cardinals drafted two running backs in
Stepfan Taylor
and
Andre Ellington
. If
you're in a dynasty league you should avoid Mendenhall because he's likely
staying in Arizona for one year, but that one year could be a good one. He
should be fine after his torn ACL at the end of the 2011 season, and prior
to going down he averaged over 1,000 rushing yards a season from 2009-11.
Arians could use him in all phases -- early downs, goal-line work and even
passing downs -- and he should be available to you in Round 5 or later,
which is a great value pick.Position rank in 2012: No. 85
running backExpected ADP for this season: 55-62 overall

Wide receiver

Jordy Nelson
, Packers

Nelson was the No. 2 Fantasy receiver in 2011 but struggled with injuries
and inconsistent play last season. He should bounce back with improved
health and the loss of
Greg Jennings
as a
free agent to Minnesota. In the 11 full games that Nelson played in he
still managed at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league in seven
outings.
Aaron Rodgers
will continue to
rely on Nelson this year along with
Randall Cobb
and
James Jones
, and he should be
considered a No. 2 Fantasy receiver with upside. He's unlikely to be the
second-best Fantasy receiver again, but he could definitely return as a
Top 10 option.Position rank in 2012: No. 30 wide receiverExpected
ADP for this season: 56-62 overall

Larry Fitzgerald
, Cardinals

Anquan Boldin
couldn't hold his smile when talking about his
friend getting an upgrade at quarterback this season with
Carson Palmer
coming to Arizona. "Yeah, he's definitely excited about
it," Boldin said. "He feels like he has somebody that can get him the ball
on a consistent basis. He's definitely excited about it." Last year was
the worst season of Fitzgerald's career, and it was predominately because
of poor quarterback play. Fitzgerald was limited to 71 catches for 798
yards and four touchdowns, and he finished as the No. 41 receiver despite
being the seventh-most targeted receiver (156) in the NFL. So it was clear
the Cardinals were trying to get Fitzgerald the ball, but they weren't
having much success. Now, the Cardinals have a coach in Arians who likes
to get the ball down the field and has a capable quarterback in Palmer,
and that will only help Fitzgerald improve. He should be considered a
low-end No. 1 Fantasy receiver on Draft Day, and we recommend drafting him
with a pick in Round 4.Position rank in 2012: No. 42 receiverExpected
ADP for this season: 37-45 overall

Percy Harvin
, Seahawks

He should remain a No. 1 Fantasy option in Seattle, and his production can
even go up. With the Vikings, Harvin was a beast, especially the past two
years. In 2012, his season was cut short in Week 9 with an ankle injury,
and he finished the year with 62 catches for 677 yards and three
touchdowns. If you project that over 16 games, Harvin would have finished
with 100 catches for 1,203 yards and five touchdowns. If you were to add
that to his rushing totals, Harvin would have finished the year as the No.
10 Fantasy receiver in 2012, giving him back-to-back Top 12 finishes.
Coach Pete Carroll told me at the NFL owners meeting in March that the
plan is to involve Harvin as much as possible. He should continue to see a
hefty amount of targets in 2013. "He's extraordinary with the ball in his
hands," Carroll said. "The idea is to give him as many chances as possible
to help us win."Position rank in 2012: No. 45 receiverExpected
ADP for this season: 28-36 overall

Dwayne Bowe
, Chiefs

Bowe is already saying all the right things about wanting to lead the
league in touchdowns and receptions this year, and we like his attitude.
Now, he just has to back it up. In 2010, Bowe was an elite receiver with
72 catches for 1,162 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was serviceable in 2011
with 81 catches for 1,159 yards and five touchdowns, but he was terrible
last year with 59 catches for 801 yards and three touchdowns. We hope the
upgrade at coach in Andy Reid and quarterback in
Alex Smith
can help Bowe reach his goals. Smith is easily the best
quarterback Bowe has played with, which isn't saying much given he's
replacing
Matt Cassel
. And Reid should put
Bowe in enough situations to help him shine. He should be considered a
low-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver with the chance to be a must-start option
depending on how he clicks with Smith and develops under Reid.Position
rank in 2012: No. 46 receiverExpected ADP for this season:
70-79 overall

Pierre Garcon
, Redskins

Garcon is not helping his cause this offseason after having chest surgery,
but at least his injured toe seems to be OK. Garcon struggled to stay on
the field in his first year in Washington as he missed six games and was
limited in two others because of a nagging toe problem. But he had double
digits in Fantasy points in four of the eight games where he was close to
100 percent and finished the season with 44 catches for 633 yards and four
touchdowns. Now, as long as Garcon doesn't suffer a setback with his toe
or chest -- and hopefully his quarterback,
Robert Griffin III
, is fine after major knee surgery -- then he could
have a big year. Keep an eye on Garcon heading into training camp, and if
he's ready to go then he should be viewed as a No. 2 Fantasy receiver with
upside. He's worth drafting in Round 5 in all leagues.Position rank
in 2012: No. 53 receiverExpected ADP for this season: 56-62
overall

Hakeem Nicks
, Giants

Nicks was a huge letdown in 2012 as he tried to play through problems with
his knee and foot, and he looked lost despite appearing in 13 games. He
was limited to 53 catches for 692 yards and three touchdowns, with his
yards and touchdowns career lows. If Nicks is able to take part in
training camp without any problems then he could easily return as a Top 20
Fantasy receiver. Keep in mind before last year he had consecutive seasons
of at least 76 catches, 1,050 yards and seven touchdowns with 18 total
touchdowns over that span. But if he continues to be limited by injuries
then Fantasy owners will stay away. We think that would be a mistake
because all the reports on his health this offseason have been good, and
he should bounce back to prove he's among the best receivers in the NFL.Position
rank in 2012: No. 54 receiverExpected ADP for this season:
65-70 overall

DeSean Jackson
, Eagles

Kelly is saying all the right things about getting Jackson involved this
year, and we hope the disappointment of the past two seasons are behind
him. In 2011, while dealing with his contract status, Jackson had just 58
catches for 961 yards and four touchdowns. He then dropped to 45 catches
for 700 yards and two touchdowns in 2012, including being out the final
five games with a rib injury. The good news for Jackson is you don't have
to invest an early-round selection on him -- think Round 6 or 7 compared
to Round 3 or 4 in the past -- and he has such low expectations all he can
do is surprise you. Jackson has already showed you his potential since he
had 2,200 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns from 2009-10, but he has
to stay healthy and prove he wants to be an elite receiver again. There's
a lot to like and little to risk with Jackson if you can get him as your
No. 3 receiver with a mid-round pick.Position rank in 2012: No.
58 receiverExpected ADP for this season: 80-88 overall

Danny Amendola
, Patriots

If
Wes Welker
was still with the Patriots
he would be drafted in Round 4 in standard leagues and Round 3 in PPR
formats. Well, we know Welker is gone after signing as a free agent in
Denver, and Amendola gets to replace him. There's no comparing Amendola to
Welker since one is proven and the other has trouble staying healthy, but
the slot receiver for
Tom Brady
is a great
job, which now belongs to Amendola. He should be in line for a huge boost
in production if he can stay healthy (he's missed 20 games the past two
years). In 2012, Amendola appeared in 11 games and had 63 catches for 666
yards and three touchdowns. He's never been a big scoring threat with
three touchdowns his career high, but he is a high-volume receiver with
153 catches in his past 28 games. The good news is Amendola won't be
drafted until at least Round 5 or 6 in standard leagues and Round 4 at the
earliest in PPR formats. And he could approach 100 catches as Welker's
replacement, making him a potential star in PPR leagues.Position
rank in 2012: No. 59 receiverExpected ADP for this season:
73-80 overall

Kenny Britt
, Titans

Britt is expected to be healthy and not dealing with any legal woes coming
into training camp, and he has the motivation of a contract year. It all
sets up for Britt to play his best football since 2010. Britt finished
last year with three touchdowns in his last six games and three games with
10-plus Fantasy points in his last five, so there is something to build
off, and it also helps that quarterback
Jake Locker
(left shoulder) is healthy. We know Fantasy owners are down on Britt after
he combined for just seven touchdowns the past two years, but he could
easily top 1,000 receiving yards and reach double digits in touchdowns if
he stays healthy. Britt is a nice selection as your No. 3 or 4 receiver
with a mid-round pick.Position rank in 2012: No. 60 receiverExpected
ADP for this season: 105-111 overall

Tight end

Antonio Gates
, Chargers

A healthy Gates is someone we all covet, but he played 15 games last year
and still struggled. He had just 49 catches for 538 yards, which was his
worst output since his rookie year in 2003, including the years where he
missed time with injuries. He scored seven touchdowns, but three of them
came in the final three weeks of the season, which we hope he can build
off. The good news is Gates comes into this year at 100 percent, and
hopefully he's getting stronger with his previous foot problems. The bad
news is he'll be 33 when the season starts, and he might not be the same
player. The Chargers also have serious offensive line issues, and
Philip Rivers
has struggled as a result. Still, he has the potential to
be a Top 10 Fantasy tight end if he stays on the field and Rivers
rebounds, and we consider him a No. 1 option. You also benefit this year
because he will fall to a mid-round pick.Position rank in 2012:
No. 12 tight endExpected ADP for this season: 107-115 overall

Vernon Davis
, 49ers

Davis enters this season as the No. 1 option for the 49ers in the passing
game following the injury to
Michael Crabtree
(Achilles). That should only help Davis play at a higher level than last
season. He struggled to develop a rapport with quarterback
Colin Kaepernick
until the playoffs started. Davis finished the regular
season with 41 catches for 548 yards and five touchdowns. They were easily
his worst stats since 2008, the year before his breakout season. But in
his final two postseason games he had 11 catches for 210 yards and a
touchdown against the Falcons and Ravens. We hope he can build on that
performance, and the 49ers and Kaepernick need Davis to perform at a high
level. He has a lot to prove based on last year's down stats, but this
should definitely be a rebound year for this standout tight end.Position
rank in 2012: No. 15 tight endExpected ADP for this season:
72-81 overall

Jermichael Finley
, Packers

Finley was on my bust list last season because I didn't like him coming
off a contract extension. He finished with a career-high 61 catches, but
he only managed 667 yards and two touchdowns. This season, with Jennings
gone and Finley playing for a new deal, he should play better. The good
news with Finley is you can draft him with a late-round pick, and he could
easily end up as a Top 10 Fantasy tight end. He was humbled this offseason
with the possibility of being released as a salary-cap move, and that
should motivate him to play like he did in 2011 when he had 55 catches for
767 yards and eight touchdowns.Position rank in 2012: No. 19
tight endExpected ADP for this season: 137-144 overall

Stay in touch with the most passionate Fantasy staff in the business
by following us via Twitter @CBSFantasyFB. You can also follow Jamey at @JameyEisenberg.

Jamey Eisenberg has been a Senior Fantasy Writer for CBS Sports since 2006 with a focus on Fantasy Football. A University of Florida grad (class of '98), Jamey got his start in the newspaper business and...
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